THE MURDOCHS PLAY GAME OF THRONES

BLUE MAN GROUP: Rupert Murdoch with his sons Lachlan, left, and James, right, in London. James’s climb back to the top of his father’s media company was swift, surprising and ruthless.

PETER NICHOLLS/REUTERS

IN DECEMBER, Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox announced it would buy the 61 percent of British satellite television company Sky that it does not already own for almost $15 billion. This consolidation of one of the biggest media companies in Europe is part of the megamerger trend sweeping the industry (AT&T recently agreed to buy Time Warner), but it is also a particularly personal spin on empire building.